Illinois' big-money politics has some worried

Just a handful of millionaires and billionaires -- including the candidates themselves -- have overwhelmingly financed Illinois’ record-setting campaign for governor this year, and that has some worried about the long-term implications for the state.

“We are very worried about what kind of democracy we are developing here,” said Alisa Kaplan, policy director of Reform for Illinois (formerly Illinois Campaign for Political Reform), a nonpartisan research organization. “We’re worried that if only wealthy candidates can win, or if it’s perceived that only wealthy candidates can win, we’re going to be missing out on a lot of talented, experienced candidates who might have done a better job.”

Spending on Illinois’ governor races has skyrocketed over the last three election cycles.

Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Illinois Springfield and a close follower of campaign finance trends in the state, noted that in Gov. Bruce Rauner’s Illinois record-setting race for governor in 2014, just under $110 million was spent. That included more than $66 million for Rauner, $32 million for then-incumbent Pat Quinn, and more than $11 million in independent expenditures opposing Rauner.

Read more: http://www.sj-r.com/news/20181103/illinois-big-money-politics-has-some-worried